Thoughts About Skating's Popularity

cooper · Mar 31, 2014

Sam-Skwantch said:
Or the Philippines !!

as a filipino i applaud michael's performance at sochi!! and i hope he continues to grow! but it's a long way to go.. basketball and boxing (manny pacquiao's mania) are the top 2 most popular sports.. we barely see skating competitions in tv here...

jenaj · Mar 31, 2014

CanadianSkaterGuy said:
This. So much. Gracie could be great and could be popular, but sky_fly needs to stop talking about her like she ALREADY is some household name.

Gold came 5th at Worlds, when a medal was certainly attainable for her (especially given how much Kostner bombed). She has one US National title. Compared to Michelle, she is unbelievably basic.

And Ashley beat her in the long program, despite being underscored (IMHO).

Snow63 · Apr 1, 2014

jenaj said:
And Ashley beat her in the long program, despite being underscored (IMHO).

...and Gracie being overscored in SP and FP.

UnsaneLily87 · Apr 1, 2014

moviechick said:
Stop trying to make Gracie happen. She's never gonna happen.

Gracie Gold is so fetch.

Iscariot · Apr 1, 2014

UnsaneLily87 said:
Gracie Gold is so fetch.

alebi · Apr 1, 2014

Unfortunately I don't think so even if this was an Olympic year... I had that impression watching Eurosport schedule. This year they didn't broadcast junior WC and they shown senior WC only during the morning, without any replay in the evening (when more people can watch the show). Almost the same did the italian tv even if this was probably the last important competition for italian fans (Carolina should retire, C/L and B/H aren't sure about the future).

I think it'll remain a major event in Russia with all these great young skaters who're coming and in Japan but we really can't make a general discussion, every country has its "traditions" :rolleye:

For example I found funny that CezarMart had to specify "indoor" volleyball since in Italy volleyball is mostly the indoor version (which is luckily shown a lot all year long

)

Blades of Passion · Apr 1, 2014

UnsaneLily87 said:
Gracie Gold is so fetch.

I agree, I wanted a beer and she brought me one!

Alba · Apr 1, 2014

alebi said:
I had that impression watching Eurosport schedule. This year they didn't broadcast junior WC and they shown senior WC only during the morning, without any replay in the evening (when more people can watch the show). Almost the same did the italian tv even if this was probably the last important competition for italian fans (Carolina should retire, C/L and B/H aren't sure about the future). I think it'll remain a major event in Russia with all these great young skaters who're coming and in Japan but we really can't make a general discussion, every country has its "traditions"

I thought it was a good choice to broadcast at least half of the events live. Probably a replay in the evening would've been better, but Rai di have the replay andf the majority in Italy watch Rai not Eurosport. But yeah, I agree with you, each country has their own traditions and Figure Skating is not Serie A. Hell, we're strong in Fencing and you don't get to watch all the competitions.

For example I found funny that CezarMart had to specify "indoor" volleyball since in Italy volleyball is mostly the indoor version (which is luckily shown a lot all year long )

I noticed that too.

alebi · Apr 1, 2014

Alba said:
I thought it was a good choice to broadcast at least half of the events live. Probably a replay in the evening would've been better, but Rai di have the replay andf the majority in Italy watch Rai not Eurosport. But yeah, I agree with you, each country has their own traditions and Figure Skating is not Serie A. Hell, we're strong in Fencing and you don't get to watch all the competitions.

we know how SPORT is treated in Italy.... :disapp:
I thought about Eurosport because 1) in the past they always did a better job, 2) it's a sign of how things go in a wider zone than a sigle country... and I was so surprised that this decline happened in an Olympic year :eek:

hwell:

Alba · Apr 1, 2014

alebi said:
we know how SPORT is treated in Italy.... :disapp:
I thought about Eurosport because 1) in the past they always did a better job, 2) it's a sign of how things go in a wider zone than a sigle country... and I was so surprised that this decline happened in an Olympic year hwell:

Yeah, actually I hate Rai. I asked Ambesi about the Olympics but it seems that now they sell the rights per country, and Eurosport didn't have the money to beat the rivals.
They used to give other ISU competition though, and replays, but they're obsessed with snooking (above all), cycling and tennis. :bang:

alebi · Apr 1, 2014

Alba said:
Yeah, actually I hate Rai. I asked Ambesi about the Olympics but it seems that now they sell the rights per country, and Eurosport didn't have the money to beat the rivals.
They used to give other ISU competition though, and replays, but they're obsessed with snooking (above all), cycling and tennis.

Yes, I was favourably surprised to see the Nebelhorn on their schedule, I thought "WOW more skating on TV!" but indeed it was really important this year (ops, past year) since it was the last chance to get an olympic spot for many skaters. At the same time I've been negatively surprised to see no replay of world championships during past or this week. At least they're now showing.... CURLING!!! :party2:

arty:

Alba · Apr 1, 2014

alebi said:
Yes, I was favourably surprised to see the Nebelhorn on their schedule, I thought "WOW more skating on TV!" but indeed it was really important this year (ops, past year) since it was the last chance to get an olympic spot for many skaters. At the same time I've been negatively surprised to see no replay of world championships during past or this week. At least they're now showing.... CURLING!!! arty:

I just ask him if Eurosport Ita is showing any reply and he said unfortunately no. :disapp:

concorde · Apr 1, 2014

I just received a mail order catalogue called "Title nine" which triggered a thought. For those of you not familiar with "Title Nine," it is essentially a US requirement that colleges must equally fund both men's and women's sports.

If I remember correctly, Title Nine came out in the late 1980's. While it opened doors for women in many new sports, it essentially lowered the funding to the traditional "women" only sports. Also, with more women's sports to choose from, those "traditional" woman sports when became less popular.

So maybe "Title Nine" started the downfall of ice skating's popularity in the US. I know that some Synchronized Swimmers claim that Title Nine killed their sport.

Manitou · Apr 1, 2014

concorde said:
I just received a mail order catalogue called "Title nine" which triggered a thought. For those of you not familiar with "Title Nine," it is essentially a US requirement that colleges must equally fund both men's and women's sports.

If I remember correctly, Title Nine came out in the late 1980's. While it opened doors for women in many new sports, it essentially lowered the funding to the traditional "women" only sports. Also, with more women's sports to choose from, those "traditional" woman sports when became less popular.

So maybe "Title Nine" started the downfall of ice skating's popularity in the US. I know that some Synchronized Swimmers claim that Title Nine killed their sport.

It would not be the case if the Title Nine in colleges were followed by a similar "Title Nine" in TV, making all TV networks to give the same amount of prime time to womens sports as to the mens. Possibly some day it will come and to be honest I will welcome that day... If I am still around, of course...

concorde · Apr 1, 2014

Yes and no. My assumption is Title Nine opened the door for women in ice hockey. If a woman's primary interest is now ice hockey instead of figure skating, will she watch ice hockey or figure staking? My guess is ice hockey. Since more TV viewers are women, if you have less women interested in the sport, I expect TV viewership will go down.

Mathman · Apr 1, 2014

I don't think it was Title IX (1972) per se that harmed the sport of synchronized swimming. On the contrary, the sport received a boost as colleges scurried to find women's sports to throw into the mix to satisfy the new law. Women's sporst at that time were overseen by the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women.

The problem was that as soon as women's collegiate sports started making money, the men's organization, the NCAA, moved in and muscled the AIAW put of the way. This occurred in 1980. Now all college sports, men and women, are under the NCAA. As with the men, the big sports make a lot of money (for the schools, not for the athletes) and the smaller sports are tolerated. This is not necessarily a bad thing. At a big football school the football team makes enough ,money to pay for the whole athletic program and thus subsidizes all the sports that do not generate any revenue for the school.

Anna K. · Apr 3, 2014

Regarding the "female" sports in the US, could it be that the popularity of soccer came up about the same time when figure skating started to decline? When I visited the US, it felt pretty much like every little girl played soccer :laugh:

NYscorp6 · Apr 3, 2014

Anna K. said:
Regarding the "female" sports in the US, could it be that the popularity of soccer came up about the same time when figure skating started to decline? When I visited the US, it felt pretty much like every little girl played soccer

So true, soccer is becoming a huge sport for the kids. Also figure skating is very expensive to maintain long enough to be successful. You had better have a back up plan in place. The whole NCAA situation is about to explode, with athletes trying hard to be able to unionize. Professional sports in general in the USA is out of control, the cost to take a family of 4 to a MLB game is absurd.

OS · Apr 3, 2014

How is soccer in popularity these days in the US? Girls seriously want to be more jocks than princess?

I blame on films like Bend it like Beckahm. Maybe USFSA can consider doing a GLEE/SNL special but with figure skating as part of their Champ Camp program. I'd love to see a West Side Story, Ashley and Gracie can fight over who want to be Maria, Max Aaron as Tony, Jason Brown as the local Irish pub owner, who spontaneously break out a River Dance. All the Asian Americans get lumped into doing the Joy Luck Club (Rachel Portman music is easy to skate to and easy listening as well as princess enough. Just no more Memoir of Geisha i beg you.), if cow boys theme needed, Shibs can do Shanghai Noon with Abbott or Adam Rippon, both natural blondes with curly hair. I bet this will sold out show on youtube.

concorde · Apr 3, 2014

In the US, a girl can earn a soccer scholarship for college; not such luck for ice skating.

Thoughts About Skating's Popularity

cooper

jenaj

Snow63

Pray one day we'll open our eyes.

UnsaneLily87

Iscariot

alebi

Blades of Passion

Skating is Art, if you let it be

Alba

alebi

Alba

alebi

Alba

concorde

Manitou

concorde

Mathman

Anna K.

NYscorp6

OS

Sedated by Modonium

concorde

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